Telescoping components are used in fasteners and attachment devices of various types, including cord locks, locking fasteners, key chains, snap hooks or tethers such as dog leashes, etc. The telescoping components slide relative to each other. For simplicity, all such devices will be referred to herein as “telescoping fasteners”, whether the device is a fastener, connector, hook or other device.
Telescoping fasteners have achieved widespread use and acceptance. Often, a spring is used either as a separate component or integral with one of the other components to bias the sliding components to a desired, default position. Often, the spring is used to bias the fastener to a closed or locked position. The fastener is operated, usually to open it, by sliding one of the components relative to the other component. Telescoping fasteners incorporating these general features have performed very well for many applications and uses.
As with devices of all types, telescoping fasteners can fail if one or more of the components fail. Wear from age and use can cause such failures; the fastener simply wears out. However, premature failure can occur under certain conditions.
Many telescoping fasteners define a relatively enclosed vessel as the outer housing in which a plunger slides. Water can intrude into the housing, and in sufficiently cold environments the water will freeze. When the entrapped water freezes, it may be impossible or difficult to activate the telescoping components. The expansion of freezing entrapped water may even cause the housing to rupture, or may expel the plunger from the housing. Even in warm temperatures, water can cause failure through rusting deterioration of metal springs used in the telescoping fastener. If water is retained in the fastener for an extended time period, rusty effluent dripping slowly from the fastener can stain the fastener or material near the fastener.
A telescoping fastener also can fail if debris intrusion occurs. Small particulate matter such as dirt, sand and mud lodged between the relative sliding members can cause the plunger component to seize and bind within the housing, rendering the fastener inoperable.
In many consumer uses of telescoping fasteners, failure is merely inconvenient. With a telescoping fastener intended for military or law enforcement “tactical” applications, failure may have a far greater adverse effect, and in certain cases even dire consequences. During military and law enforcement activities, it is common for personnel to be active in very adverse climates and terrains, including freezing, wet, dirty, sandy, dusty and stormy conditions. When deployed in these environments, the potential for failure of the telescoping fastener from water or debris intrusion is accelerated, and the occurrence of intrusion maybe unavoidable.
What is needed is a telescoping fastener that is less prone to failure from water or debris intrusion.